Popsicles
by Her Madjesty
Summary: Modern AU!NYC. Killian and Emma go running every morning. One morning, their run has an unusually flirty twist.


_A/N Hullo all! This is just a quick flirty piece I put together. There's not much plot, but it's a sweet little ficlet. I hope you enjoy it! Characters not mine._

* * *

"Keep up, Jones!" Emma Swan laughed as the man cursed from behind her.

"Bloody hell, Swan." Killian said, trailing a few meters back. The duo kept to the sidewalk, watching as cars whizzed past them on their morning commutes.

"Not all of us were track champions in college!" Killian teased, struggling to regain ground as Emma chuckled ahead.

"That was years ago." Emma said, grinning. "Not my fault you let yourself go."

Killian rolled his eyes and increased his pace, intent on catching the feisty blonde.

"Let me raise you a bet, then, Swan." He said, through wasted breath. "If you're so confident in your ability to beat me, let's see who can get to Granny's ice cream shop first. Loser buys."

"Ha!" Emma picked up her pace, already pulling farther ahead. "Deal! I hope you've got money, Jones!" She was around the corner in a minute, complete out of sight.

Killian Jones stopped where he was, resting his hands on his knees and trying to catch his breath. Then, looking out into the street, he raised up an arm as a yellow car passed by.

"Where to?" The cabbie asked, after Jones had chased him down.

"The ice cream place on 3rd and Grimm." Killian said with a grin. "Double tip if you get me there in five minutes."

XXX

Emma entered the ice cream parlor with a triumphant shout. Breathing heavily, she threw herself down at a table, signaling to the older woman at the counter that she'd be up in a minute. She glanced at her watch and grinned, eyes trained on the door.

"Waiting for someone, Swan?"

Her eyes widened in shock as Killian Jones sat down in front of her, looking fresh as a summer's day.

"How did-?" Emma wheezed, looking back at the door. "Did you just get here?" She asked.

"Nope." Killian replied, popping the 'p'. "I've been here a good ten minutes. You're much slower than I expected."

Silence came from the blonde, who looked at him in utter shock.

"Perhaps I should take a picture of your expression." He said, after a minute had passed. "You could send it out on your Christmas card: 'I raced Killian Jones and all I got was this lousy picture'."

"Hilarious." Emma replied, pulling her jaw off of the parlor table. "What flavor do you want, Jones?" She asked, pulling her wallet out of her work-out pants.

"Go ahead and choose for me, Swan." Killian said, waving a hand. "I wouldn't want to be a burden on your wallet, now would I?"

Emma snorted as she approached the counter, much to the amusement of the woman behind it.

"Do you have popsicles?" Emma asked.

XXX

"What's this?" Killian asked, looking confused as Emma passed him a strange plastic package.

"It's a popsicle." She said, tearing her own package open. "It's frozen juice. Super cheap, super good."

"I don't think I've had one." Killian muttered, poking a finger at the treat. "Seems like a ridiculous little thing."

"Ridiculously good." Emma replied, giving the tip of her popsicle an experimental lick. "Ah!" She said, looking relieved. "Cherry. I always get confused between the watermelon and the cherry; they look too much alike."

Killian stared at her before slowly peeling the wrapping off of his own.

Emma's eyes sparkled as she slowly tongued her popsicle, delighted at the turn of events. She sucked the treat into her mouth and pulled it out with a 'pop', watching Killian grow slowly more and more uncomfortable.

"They're good, I promise you." She said, false innocence painted into her smile. "Try it!"

Killian gave his bright green popsicle an experimental lick of his own, all while keeping his eyes fixated on Emma's.

"It's not bad." He said, giving it another taste. "Bit odd."

"They were my favorite, growing up." Emma said, swirling the tip of the treat in her mouth and swiping a stray drop with her tongue. Killian swallowed conspicuously, and Emma fought to hide her grin.

She continued to play with her treat, pulling it in and out of her mouth with agonizing slowness. The treat was melting more quickly than she would have liked, but she used it to her advantage, tonguing the extra drops with practiced swipes.

Killian's treat was melting as well, but he didn't seem to be paying it much attention. She smirked, and he started, desperately trying to keep from letting his treat fall apart.

"You seem rather fond of these." He said huskily, his gaze never leaving her mouth.

"Mhmm." Emma nodded, pulling the popsicle out of her mouth and grinning like a satisfied cat.

Killian swallowed again, his Adam's apple bobbing as he licked his lips.

"I—" he said after a moment, setting his treat down on the wrapper. "I think I should go. Things to do, you know."

"Of course." Emma purred demurely, watching as he tried to tear his gaze from her mouth. "We should do this again sometime. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Perhaps." Killian replied, finally forcing himself to meet her gaze. "Thank you for the treat, Swan." He said firmly, looking at her with a twinkle in his eye. "And—everything else, as well."

"Anytime." Emma said, watching the man as he started walking stiffly away.

The door to the parlor swung shut, and Emma removed the popsicle from her mouth and laughed.

'I wonder if he'll take a cab tomorrow, too.' She thought, giving the treat a final amused lick.


End file.
